Minnesota Nice Spice

I am pleased to share one of my new favorite food finds with you this week. Minnesota Nice Spice is a local company with a terrific twist – they sell organic seasoning blends that help artists with disabilities. I’m having a ball incorporating their unique, gluten free, organic seasoning blends in some great KilKenney Kitchen recipes including this week’s super delicious Oatmeal Spice Cookies.

I met Debb, the owner and her amazing sister, Lucy at an event in St. Paul this spring. I was impressed with her company, the products and particularly the organization’s mission. We immediately connected and starting talking about how we could collaborate. Her spices and my kitchen seemed like a great fit. Their 17 seasoning blends are incredibly creative and delicious – everything from Island Spice, which I used in the Oatmeal Spice Cookies recipe, to Lucy’s Pub Blend, an all around seasoning blend we use daily on burgers, chicken and fish.

I invite you to try these yummy Oatmeal Spice Cookies and to check out Minnesota Nice Spice. The seasoning blends are available online and at a variety of local events listed on the website. They make great holiday gifts for your foodie friends and a lovely addition to your kitchen.

As always, please share your favorite food finds here too. I love to hear about them.

Oatmeal Spice Cookies

These delicious cookies are the perfect gluten free (or not!) treat. I collaborated with MN Nice Spice Company to create these snappy, tasty cookies. You can easily adapt them to your spice drawer, and I know you'll be happy to have them in your kitchen as the fall approaches.

Servings cookies

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

1 cup gluten free flour blend or regular flour
2 tsp MN Nice Island Spice or 1 tsp each ginger & cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla

Additional Ingredients

1.5 cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats I like Bob's Red Mill
1/4 cup crystalized ginger optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
I love the Bob's Red Mill gluten free line of baking products. The One-to-One Baking Flour, along with the Gluten Free Rolled Oats are staples in my kitchen.
I am also a huge fan of the MN Nice Spice Company - a wonderful product handmade by a local organization with a fantastic mission. This Island Blend is perfect for these spice cookies
Combine the 1 cup gluten free baking flour (or all purpose flour if you are not making gluten free cookies), 2 tsp Island Blend spice (or 1 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp ground cinnamon), 1/2 tsp each baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine
Cream the 1/2 cup softened butter and 1/2 cup each of brown and white sugar in a large bowl
Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth
Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until well combined
Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally so all ingredients combine well
Chop the crystalized ginger pieces into a small dice. The ginger pieces add a chewy texture and spicy bite to these cookies but no worries if you don't have any - the cookies taste great without them too
Add the 1.5 cups of rolled oats to the mixture and stir to combine
Using a small scoop or tablespoon, scoop the cookie dough onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
Bake until the cookies are slightly brown and cooked through - 13-15 minutes
Place the cookies on a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The recipe will yield 24 delicious cookies
Serve with your favorite beverage or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a tasty treat.